The British rider, 58, is part of ITV4's commentary team for the current Tour and has decided to take her transition as Philippa York public because there is now a "much better acceptance and understanding".

York, one of Britain's greatest ever cyclists who is best known winning the King of the Mountain prize in the 1984 Tour de France, has been undergoing the gender change since 2000.

And the Scot is the first high-profile cyclist to go public with her newfound status.

Philippa York has revealed her transition from champion cyclist Robert Millar

York, won the Tour de France King of the Mountain title as Robert Millar in the 1980s (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

"The outcome of that journey has meant that for a considerable time now I have lived as Philippa," she said in a statement on Cycling News .

"The steps taken over a prolonged period under the watchful eye of the medical profession to complete the transition from one gender to another can be difficult and are always only taken after much soul searching and anguish.

York, born in Glasgow and finished second in the 1987 Giro d'Italia, was married to a French woman, Sylvie Transler in December 1985.

Reports first emerged of York's gender change 17 years ago but the Scot appeared in Manchester with the Scotland team at the Commonwealth Games .

York is one of the greatest British cyclists of all-time (Image: Rex Features)

The Scot is now part of ITV4's commentary team (Image: Rex Features)

Since then public appearances have been rare but York explained: "While there has been some speculation concerning my gender over the past decade, perhaps it'll now be better understood why unwelcome and unasked for intrusions into that transition have been damaging not only to myself but to those I love.